Do you have a puppy that bites your feet or ankles when you walk? Does your pup grab your pants leg and start tugging? Are your toes getting bloody from his playful pounces? This is one of those puppy problems that I get asked about so often that I thought it might be helpful to… [Read More]
Welcome to Ruffly Speaking.
I hope you enjoy my blog. My goal is to get people thinking, talking and exploring a wide variety of dog-related topics. Please let me know what you think!
Puppy Socialization While Sheltering In Place
If you have a young pup, you probably know how important socialization is. Early socialization can impact on your pup’s behavior later on. And even more importantly, it can have a big impact on how your puppy feels about the world around him. But, and this is huge during a time of social distancing—socialization doesn’t… [Read More]
5 Tips for Surviving Your Dog’s Adolescence
Is your once cute, cuddly, and well-behaved pup suddenly acting out? Is your dog ignoring you, taking off if he sees something interesting, and chewing on everything in sight? Did his perfect “sit,” “down,” “stay” and “come” disappear overnight? Are his friendly, social ways being replaced with rowdy, over-the-top greetings? Is he sometimes cautious or… [Read More]
20 Fun Rainy Day Activities for You and Your Dog
As I write this blog post, it is pouring rain outside and has been for the better part of the last week. We walk in the rain, play in the rain, and even do some training in the rain. But having a young dog in the house, I know spending the day cooped up can… [Read More]
3 Reasons You Should Never Punish Your Dog for Growling
A dog growling, that low rumble, no one wants to hear it! It is not uncommon for a student or client to ask me how they should correct their dog for growling at someone or something. Let me tell you now: Please, please, don’t punish your dog for growling!! Here are 3 reasons why not.
Dogs Need To Be Dogs–But a Little Attention Never Hurt Anyone!
Have you ever considered the synonyms for attention? Consideration, kindness, thoughtfulness, responsiveness and of course devotion. Attention skills can foster these wonderful characteristics. People express consideration, kindness, and devotion to their dogs when they give them attention. Dogs who are offering attention to their person are often more thoughtful and responsive—extremely important traits when we talk… [Read More]
Make “Come” Fun!
Come is a serious behavior. We want our dogs to come to keep them safe and to keep us sane. Why should we make it more fun? Shouldn’t they just listen to us? Shouldn’t they come just because we say so? Well, perhaps in an ideal world, yes, it would be easiest if they came… [Read More]
Excitable Dogs Can Learn Impulse Control!
We’ve all seen dogs who exude impulse control—they are calm in the face of excitement and patient when it comes to getting what they want. Of course we’ve all seen those dogs who are lacking impulse control too—dogs who can’t seem to handle excitement and become overexcited, pushy, or reactive. Sometimes that lack of impulse… [Read More]
Do You Experience Ups and Downs in Your Dog Training?
Have you ever had this experience? Your training or behavior plan is moving forward. You are doing well. Your dog is responding. Life is getting better. Then all of a sudden, everything falls apart and it seems like you are back to square one. I certainly have. This week, my dog has taken a turn… [Read More]
Let’s Talk About Off-Leash Etiquette
Boy, my dog loves to run off leash—tearing down the beach, chasing her ball in the park, or romping through the tall grasses on hikes. In the central coast area—Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties—we have limited areas where dogs are allowed off leash. And this can sometimes be tough when you have a dog that… [Read More]